Improvement in doob-spbings



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IMPROVEMENT IN DOOR-SPRINGS.

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TO ALL WI-IOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, CYRUS W. SALADRE, of Newark, county of Liclcing, State of Ohio, have invented a new and improved Mode of Constructing Springs for Closing Doors and Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

T he nature ofmy invention consists in so arranging springs for closing doors and gates, that the force or tension of the spring can be readily-adjusted to correspond with the weight of the door or gate te be operated thereby; also, in that of disconnecting the action of the spring upon the door at any moment when desired, without removing the spring or any of the parts screwed to thevdoor or frame; also, in that of securing the box, or cylinder `containing the spiral spring, rigidly to the door or gate, in combination with a pitman or arm, whose outer bearing is on the frame of the door, or the hinge-post of thc gate, whereby the spring receives but a slight compression, while the door may be thrown wide open; and also, in that of rendering the complete spring ornamental in any degree desirable, so that its application is not limited to gates and doors of business houses and public buildings, but may be rendered as much an ornament upon a parlor door as would be afinely finished lock;

and nally, in that of being so extremely simple in the details of its manufacture, that it can be produced at prices varying from fty cents to five dollars, depending wholly upon the Vdegree of ornamentation and nish imparted. Door-springs for the doors of private residences are not new used, for the obvious reason that they do not possess the points of improvement contemplated by my invention. There are times during the winter season when it is desirable to have the door of a certain apartment of the house temporarily open, but if it is provided with any of the door-springs heretofore made, there is no means of disconnecting the bearing of the spring against the door, and it must be held open by placing a chair against it, or by placing a Wedge between the lower edge of the door and the licor. rIhis is a very great inconvenience, and particularly annoying when sweeping out the rooms or chambers. vAgain7 another serious objection in the ordinary door-spring now in use is that when the season for their use is pastthey must be removed from the door and frame to which they are screwed, leaving the screw-holes and defaced surface surrounding them exposed to view. This alone forbids the use of such a device upon a nicely finished door and frame. These, and other objectionable features belonging to the common door-springs, have suggested the improvements I shall here describe. In-the drawings- Figure 1 represents a front view of the spring complete, with a part of the bex A broken off, exposing the spiral spring C, the follower E, indentation :e in follower te receive front end of the arm B, and the stud 5 in rear end of the box. i l

Figure 2 represents atop view of the box A, arm B, and standard D, in operation; box A neing secured to the door F, standard I) to the side of the door-frame H, on which the door is hinged, with the door just in the act of opening from the opposite side of the ldoor-frame II 1, as -s'cen at the open space S.

Figure 3 represents the standard D, showing the notches 1, 2, 3, in which the studs I I of the head B 1 of the arm B rest and operate, as shown in fig. 2. p

Figure 4 represents a view of the follower E, showing the stud 4 which receives the front end of the spiral spring C, and also showing the flange G.

Figure 5 represents the stud 5 secured te the plate 7, which is placed in the rear end of the'box A, and receives the rcarcnd of the spiral spring C. I

The bex or covering A for this spring I purpose making in various ways and styles. The spring may be secured in any form of box that will answer the purpose, and secured to the door, and the whole covered with a fiat plate of ornamental design, and the style of the bex herein illustrated may -vary in a great variety of ways to suit the fancy of the manufacturer. So, also, the arm B is not limited te 'the form here shown, as a great lvariety of fanciful designs can be appropriately used for this purpose. Neither do I confinc'my claims hereinafter made, to the precise form of spring shown in the drawings, as a variety of other springs may be used, in combination with a suitable fastening Aupon Ythe door, and operating against the arm B, producing the same result. As for example, I can, if I see propel', use in the box here shown, or its equivalent, two conical spiral springs, with their small ends joined in the centre within a double thimble, and their broad ends pressing, one

against the follower E, and the other against the rear end of the box. Or, I may discard altogether the use of a spiral spring, by substituting therefor an elliptic spring, provided with a suitable box and covering secured to the door, and operating against the front end of the arm B.

The box A, as here shown, is castv hollow, as represented, with the flat side next the door left open the full length to admit ef dropping in the spiral spring, but, if preferred, I can make this box a perfectly round cylinder left open at one end to receive thc spring, and provided with suitable connections to fasten it to thc door or gate. The follower E is formed substantially as shown in the drawings, the inside of which has cast solid the stud 4 to receive and hold in position the end of the spiral spring C. This follower is also provided with the flanges 6, (fig. 4,-) for the'purpose of keeping the same in position when sliding back and forth in the box or cylinder A against the spring. In the rear end of this box A I place a light platc,i'l', (lig. 5,) upon which is cast the stud 5 to receive and hold in position that end of the spring C. The box or cylinder A is now secured in the door or gate by the screws 8 and 9, or in any other manner that will firmly hold the same in position against the door or gate to which it is attached. The arm er pitman B I make about eleven inches long, and of such style and proportion as I may deem proper, the front end of which is rounded olf so as to correspond with the indentation z in the front sidc-of the follower E, (seo lig. 1,) and the rear end is finished with a head, substantially as represented atpIl 1, figs. 1 and 2, on each side of which are cast solid, or otherwise secured, the studs or pivots I I. This head ,DVI of the arm B may represent a hand grasping a pin, which may serve for the studs I I. The standard D I form in the manner substantially as shown in the dra-wing, lig. 3, with the upright brackets 10 and 11, the front edges of which are provided with the corrugations or notches 1, 2, 8 exactly on a line opposite each other, so as to receive the studs I I of the head B 1 of the arm, and allow the same to work freely therein while the door er gate is swinging upon its hinges. This connection between the head of the arm B and the standard D may be made by means of holes and a light bolt or pin passing through the whole, but I now think the mode here shownrthe better way of making this joint, for the reason that the arm can be adjusted or taken out more handily.

The details for the manufacture of the several parts being thus disposed of, the operationof the complete device shown and described is substantially` as follows, viz: The standard D is first secured to the hinge side of the door-frame II, fig. 2. The arm B is then placed in position in the lower notches 1 1 of the standard, when the length of the arm is marked upon the door, which will indicate the point at which to secure the box A, or its equivalent, which is accordingly done. The arm is now put in position by first introducing the front end into the box and resting in the indentation :v of the follower E, when a slight pressure against thc spring C will admit/of placing the head I3 1 of the arm in either of the three pairs of notches 1, 2, and 3 of the standard D. New, as-'shown by fig. 2, we have-the studs I I resting and operating in the highest notches (3 and 3) of the standard. This throws the outer end of the arm to a point which gives the arm the greatest angle from the end of the box A, so that in'opening the door or gate the front end of the arm resting against the follower E compresses the spring to agreaterfextent than if the head of the arm were resting and operatingin the standard D lower down, and the bearing of the spring against the door is correspondingly greater. Thus, if the door is light, the push the spring would give it, with the arm in theposition shown by g. 2, would be found too great, which, however, is easily remedied by simply adjusting the head of the arm so as to let the studs I I work in the notches lower down. For a very light door the head of the arm should be in the lowest notches, (l 1,) medium size and weight door in the notches 2 2, and, for the heaviest doors, in the highest notches 3 3. If, for any purpose, it is desirable to disengage the action of the springs against the door, it is done by taking hold of the arm B and pressing it against the spring, when the studs I I of the head are easily disconnected from the standard and the arm removed. So, in like manner, when in the spring time it is desirable to remove the spring from the door permanently for the summer season, we have only to remove the arm and lay it away until it is again wanted, without removing from the door or frame any of the parts screwed or otherwiseifastened thereto.

Ihave described the box or cylinder containing the spiral spring as being rigidly attached to the door, but when it is desirableto use a round cylinder in place of the box shown in the drawings, it may be secured to the door by vmeans of a hinge-joint, so as to allow the cylinder to accommodate itself to the position of the arm when the door is swung open or shut, and I so intend securing it in all cases where I use a round cylinder'. I will also state that the adjustable arm, herein shown and described, may, when used in connection with the round cylinder, be made to extend the whole way through the cylinder, with the spiral spring coiled around that portion of the arm passing through the cylinder or box, with substantially the same result as when the arm is used in connection with'the follower shown in the drawings. f Another manner of using the arm, inA combination with the spiral spring, is to let the stud on the inside of the follower extend the full length of the box or cylinder, and to operate like a sliding-bolt, the rear end of the box or cylinder having a hole through Vfor the passage of the bolt when acted upon by the arm. I will also state that for the purposeof magnifying the strength of this spring, I can do it by making the box or cylinder double, as if two boxes or cylinders were cast together side by side, and each apartment having an independent and separate spiral spring, and both of said springs acted upon by an arm terminating in front with a fork, one prong of the fork entering each box or cylinder, and the rear end 'of the arnr to rest against a single standard, as shown in the drawings. As already shown and described, the tension of this spring is regula-ted y mjoving the rear end of tho arm in or ont in the notches or holes on the standard. The same result is attained by adjusting thc box or cylinder on the door, and in some cases it may be desirable to make both tio rear end of the arm and the box upon the door so that they may be adjusted to correspond with the position of the hinges the door is hung on. When I use the counnon-shapcd cylinder,

with the arm in combination therewith,substantially as herein described, the cylinder and arm are removedfrom the door together, leaving the standard holding'the cylinder on the door, and the standard holding the rear end of the arm on the frame of the door, whereas, in. the case of the box screwed to the door, the arm only is removed, leaving the box on the door and the standard on the frame.

Ulaz'ms.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure 'oy-Letters Patent, is- 1. I claim the box or cylinder A, secured rigidlyr to the door or'gate, in combination with the arm B and standard D, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as sliownfand described.

2. I claim the arni B, constructed and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as shown and described. v

3. I claim the standardD, or its equivalent, when provided with a series of bearings or holes 1, 2, 3, (iig. 3,) in combination with the armB, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. I claim, in combination with the arm B, the indentation z, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. I also claim the combination of the adjustable arm B,l standard D, follower E, spring C, and the box o1' cylinder A, or. their equivalents, arranged and operating in the manner and for the purpose substantially as shwn and described.

CYRUS W. SALADEE.

Witnesses:v

E. A. SALADEE, JAS. O. HARE. 

